The present invention relates to novel carbon blacks, as well as polymers containing the carbon blacks, and an enhancement in properties, such as polymer performance and the like.
Carbon black is used in a number of polymer compounds, such as those found in acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) molding applications. Carbon black-filled polymer compounds, such as carbon black-filled ABS and ABS-alloys (blends of ABS with other polymers), are used in numerous high-performance polymer applications where a balance of color, mechanical properties, and surface appearance is preferred. The type and amount of carbon black used in the polymer can have a varying effect on the properties of the compound. For instance, increasing the loading of carbon black can improve the color (e.g., the compound has higher jetness), but the mechanical properties and/or surface appearance may be degraded with higher loadings. There is a desire in the polymer industry to have a carbon black that can achieve comparable or better jetness, blue tone, impact strength, and/or surface appearance (smoothness) when compounded into a polymer, but at a loading that is lower than current conventional loadings. Achieving equal color at a lower loading can involve using a carbon black with a higher surface area. However, increasing the surface area of carbon black typically causes the carbon black to become difficult to disperse. Further, poor dispersion of the carbon black results in a loss of mechanical properties and/or surface appearance. Thus, it would be desirable to develop a high-surface area carbon black that can be preferably readily dispersed in polymers, such as ABS, to attain an acceptable level of various mechanical properties (such as impact resistance) and surface appearance.